Hundreds of people turned out on this scorching hot day for the official opening of Holy Family NS at the Aughnaharna campus today.
Holy Family NS was opened by the Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, Most Reverend Denis Nulty. He was joined by Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan, Monsignor John Byrne, past staff, principals, deputy principals and many other distinguished guests.
Almost 1,400 pupils attend both the Holy Family Senior and Junior school, which replaced three primary schools in the centre of the town; Scoil Mhuire, Sacred Heart and St. Pauls.
The €1.25 million school campus ran into some difficulties and halts along the way, and the school choir aptly sang out Queen’s ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’, as long-awaited opening was savoured sweetly by all those who had put in time and effort to make the two schools a possibility.
Monsignor Byrne spoke about the “extraordinary lengths” both past and present staff went to, to ensure high quality education in Portlaoise.
He also spoke about the school, “always remembering our origins”, with the three former schools having roots in the local community since the 19th century.
But while dignitaries remembered the old, the new was also celebrated, as the schools showed their use of technology and used drones to gathering pictures of the school being built, which was displayed in the new Nano Nagle hall after the speeches.
The importance of diversity
Another feature of a new Ireland was also a very important theme of many of the speeches today – diversity and inclusion.
Principal of the Holy Family Senior Des Sutton welcomed all 1,400 pupils, 100 teachers, 25 different nationalities and 28 different languages that make up the Holy Family campuses.
“We’re some family aren’t we?” he then laughed.
Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan echoed these sentiments and said, “I saw a sign here which read: ‘No matter who you are, no matter where you’re from – you are a part of our family’.”
Bishop Denis Nulty then said that all families, “come in many spaces, sizes and guises” and paid tribute to all, “who brought this project to fruition.”
Monsignor John Byrne acknowledged Holy Family’s inclusion of all races, religions and creeds, saying: “It would have been possible, and even reasonable, to say ‘We are full’. Instead, every opportunity was taken to source extra accommodation to give students a place, and many of these students were new to our shores.”
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